The ABU Popular Song Contest (also known as the Asia Broadcasting Union Song Contest) was a competitive song contest created by the

Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU or APBU), formed in 1964, is a non-profit, professional association of broadcasting organisations. It currently has over 288 members in 57 countries and regions, reaching a potential audience of about 3 b ...

(ABU) based on the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...

. It ran for three editions from 1985 to 1987.

Background and development

Prior to the ''ABU Popular Song Contest'', there was the short-lived, ''Pacific Song Festival''. In 1979, there were seven entries, one each from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and Philippines with New Zealand winning with the song "Nothing but Dreams", written by Carl Doy and performed by

Tina Cross Tina Marie Cross (born 27 January 1959) is a New Zealand singer. She sang the winning entry in the 1979 Pacific Song Contest, and was the lead vocalist of synthpop band, Koo De Tah, whose single " Too Young for Promises" was a top ten hit in Au ...

. In 1980, Cross entered again for New Zealand, coming second with the song "Once Again With You". Australia came first.

Editions

1985

*Date: 12 October 1985 *Location: Singapore *Hosts: Naseer Kamaruddin and Jenny Teo Participants: # – Danny Costello # – Robby Krupsi # – Ahmet Ozhan # – Anchalee Chong Khadikij # –

Vina Panduwinata Vina Dewi Sastaviyana (née Panduwinata) is an Indonesian singer and actress. The song "Kumpul Bocah" is cited as her signature song. Her song "Burung Camar" was listed by ''Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone Indonesia'' as the 28th-best Indonesian song ...

"Burung Camar" ("Seagull") # – Danny Summer # – Muhammad Ali Shehki & Allan Faoeer # – Ivy Violand # – Rob Winch # – Johari Hj Omar # – K. P. Udayabhanu # – Peter Chua # – Chung Eun Sook & Koo Chang Mo # –

Hiromi Iwasaki is a Japanese female singer who debuted in 1975. Her younger sister Yoshimi Iwasaki is also a singer. In 1981 she was awarded the Silver Prize at the Tokyo Music Festival for her song "Koimachigusa". Her representative songs are "" — "" ( ...

# – Sudirman Hj Arshad – "Pesta Dunia"

1986

*Date: 1986 *Location:

Michael Fowler Centre The Michael Fowler Centre is a concert hall and convention centre in Wellington, New Zealand. It was constructed on Reclamation of Wellington Harbour, reclaimed land next to Civic Square, Wellington, Civic Square, and is the pre-eminent concert s ...

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

, New Zealand *Debuting Counties: *Winner: Participants: # – Kay Hamid # – Yoshie # – Salmaya Hj.Hussein # –

Anthony Lun Anthony Lun (born 12 April 1957) is a Hong Kong songwriter, arranger, musical director and singer who sings in Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese and English. Lun represented Hong Kong at the 1986 ABU Popular Song Contest. Biography Anthony Lu ...

# – Andrea Lee & Michael # – Daniel Res Stello # – Ivod Dennis & Angelina # – Kathijah Ibrahim # – Diana Nasution & Melke Goeslkow # – Choi Jin Hee # –

Bunny Walters Bunny Te Kokiri Miha Waahi Walters (31 May 1953 – 14 December 2016) was a New Zealand singer who had a number of New Zealand hits during the 1970s. He is best known for the hits "Brandy" and "Take the Money and Run". Walters represented New Z ...

– "Taken By Love"

1987

*Date: 26 September 1987 *Location: Putra World Trade Centre,

Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...

, Malaysia *Winner: . First prize was trophy and $10,000AUD. Participants: # – Chang Deok – "Dang sin eul ki da lil li" (I Will Wait for You) # – Catherine Ceberano – "Time Can't Keep Us Apart" (

Allan Zavod Allan Zavod (16 October 1945 – 29 November 2016) was an Australian pianist, composer, jazz musician and occasional conductor whose career was mainly in America. Zavod completed a music degree from the Melbourne Conservatorium, University ...

)– 1st # – Elfa's Singers – "Pesta" (Party) # – Blue Jeans – "No Such Reason”" # –

Annie Crummer Anne Crummer (born 1966) is a New Zealand pop singer and songwriter of Cook Islands descent who has seen success in both a solo career and as part of various musical groups. Crummer represented New Zealand at the 1987 ABU Popular Song Contest ...

– "It's That What Friends Are For" (Geoff Cavander) – 3rd # – Dulce – "Langit" (Heaven) – 2nd # – Miyuku Utsumi – "Kokuhaku" (My Truth) # – Robert Fernando – "Back in Love Again" # – Francissa Peter & William Clark – "Cinta Abadi" # – Joffry & Norhayati – "Kedamaian" (Peace and Quiet)

References

{{ABU Radio Song Festival Song contests Music festivals established in 1985 Recurring events disestablished in 1987 ABU Song Festivals